Cost Could Stall Expansion Of Palmerton High Driver Ed

January 04, 1989|by MATT MICHAEL, The Morning Call

The cost of the program could stall a proposal to add on-the-road training to the driver education course at Palmerton High School.

At a Palmerton School Board workshop meeting last night, Superintendent Ronald Mihalko said the district is examining the feasibility of an on-the- road program. The high school curriculum includes driver theory classes, but many insurance companies also require on-the-road training to discount students' insurance costs.

Mihalko said on-the-road training must be provided by a certified driver education teacher. Palmerton has a certified teacher, but he teaches math in addition to driver theory courses.

If the high school started an on-the-road program, the certified teacher would probably have to relinquish his math duties and the district would have to hire another math teacher.

"I have mixed feelings about the district making that kind of expenditure so the kids can save money on insurance," board President Conrad Biege said.

Mihalko said the new math teacher would probably receive an entry-level salary of about $18,000. But the cost of insurance and maintenance of the driver education cars would push the program cost to $40,000-$50,000.

The district would be reimbursed by the students, who would have to pay a fee for the course, and the state, which gives districts $35 for every student who successfully completes six hours of on-the-road training. Mihalko said he checked neighboring districts that have on-the-road programs and the cost to students ranges from $25 to $35.

The training would take place during study halls or in the summer, Mihalko explained. He said the district has talked to a local car dealer about donating vehicles for the course.

According to discussion at the meeting, most insurance companies will take 10 percent off a student's insurance cost if he or she passes the on-the-road course. High school principal George Duell said many students have taken a driver training course outside of school so they could reduce their insurance costs.

Board member Larry Engle suggested that a poll be taken to find out if the students are interested in the program. Biege said parents should also be polled about the course.

"Most parents pay a hefty premium to carry their kids on their insurance," Biege said. "I'm sure they would be interested in saving some money."

Biege pointed out that on-the-road training is not required by the state. But board member Robert Daniels said it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"A number of people are killed on the highway," Daniels said. "It would be ludicrous not to educate our students if we can."

Duell said the district had a full-time, on-the-road instructor for several years. When he retired, the theory and on-the-road instruction was handled by two people.

When one of those teachers retired in the early 1980s, the district abandoned the on-the-road training. Students who have the course now attend one driver theory class a week.

In other business, the district's Delaware and Hazard schools are back on the market. The buildings were sold a public auction in October, but Mihalko said the buyers defaulted at settlement.

The district will advertise for bids, which will be opened at the board's regular meeting on Feb. 14. The bids will be accepted until 3 p.m. Feb. 14.

The district received $290,000 for the two schools, which are no longer in use. Frank Horwith of Ballietsville bought the Delaware School for $235,000, and Steward S. Groff, president of Golden Harvest Inc. of Parryville, bought the Hazard School for $55,000.

The district also sold the Franklin School to Fred Lesher of Palmerton for $97,000.

Gary Behr, the district's maintenance supervisor, said the high school is having problems with its boilers since a new system was installed about 18 months ago. The system runs on both gas and oil, but Behr said the high school has been able to use oil - the cheaper source - for only a a total of about four weeks.

Behr said he's been trying to iron out the problem with the contractor, H.F. Lenz Co., and the architect and engineer of the district's building program. Behr said he's meeting with the architect this week.

"It's a failure in parts, but why they failed I don't know," Behr said. "The only thing we can do is make these people make the system work."

Two representatives from the Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit will present the unit's proposed 1989-1990 budget at the board's regular meeting next Tuesday. The budget calls for Palmerton to pay an additional $1,763 in 1989-90, which represents about a 14 percent increase.